Is getting organized your top new year resolution? Here is the easiest way ever to get started!

Offered under the leadership of my colleague Allison Carter, there is a wide array of classes offered by the top professionals in our field.
Join us for this amazing event!

Leslie McKee and Ellen Delap are both Certified Professional Organizers® and Family Manager Coaches. Together they will address the challenges and causes of procrastination and how to overcome it. Remember, procrastination is a habit not a flaw and Leslie and Ellen will teach you will address the challenges and causes of procrastination and how to overcome it. So if you are putting something off that is getting in your way join their call and be on your way to a more productive 2010!

http://theprofessionalorganizer.com/organizingclasses/wednesday/

Link to all the classes:

http://organizingclasses.com

Jan 25-29, 2010

It’s an organizing fiesta!

Learn from the comfort of your own couch.

Strategies for getting organized and for professional organizers

PS
Don’t procrastinate on this offer! Use the code word clutter for 10% off!

ADD clients are often prolific thinkers who are creative, who struggle with focus, impulse control, prioritization and time among other things. The key to change is awareness and setting up distraction free, reminder rich environments. Because these clients have so many ideas they are prone to be big starters and poor finishers. We often see these clients being “productive procrastinators”. They are busy with low priority tasks, for example they will be pruning the hedges instead of working on their presentation that is due the next day! Helping clients prioritize is the first step to helping them be more effective day to day. Part of prioritizing is making manageable lists. Agree on a “do-able number” to ensure success and then “A/B” that list. Assign an “A” to the most important items and a “B” to the rest to make sure they are focused on what is most important daily. Commit to what is important by slotting tasks on a calendar. This sounds simple but this exercise cements the task in your client’s mind which is important when they struggle with focus and time. When competing goals are screened out now it is time to engineer the environment to reduce distraction and keep them on track with reminders. Set “mini deadlines” and add rewards to keep them moving toward their goals by delaying gratification until completion.

Awareness of the “triggers” that throw them off track is important and then strategies to overcome. For example if email distracts your client then set timers for that activity so they don’t get lost in that “now” moment. Transitioning is once your ADD client is hyper-focusing on a task is very difficult so setting a timer that requires them to actually move away from the current task begins that transition for them so it is easier to get on to the next task. One important thing to be aware of is “productive procrastination”. This is when our clients are constantly busy but not doing what is most important.

If you are trying to change any habit-set your self up for success by taking less on during that time.  We have been focusing on lateness and procrastination lately but this can help with any behavior change from smoking to getting exercise!  Reducing stress at that time increases your will power to succeed.  Stress often makes you resort to those old ways of dealing with things instead of trying new ways. 

So clear the decks and plan successful change by giving yourself a little break to do so.

Based on some figures, it is estimated that as much as 95 % of the people are prone to procrastination. Amongst them, 20 % of them are chronic procrastinators. These people have an increasing chance of losing their jobs, have financial problems and have serious problems with their relationship with others.

If you are that 20% it is time to explore some reasons why you are procrastination and how to over come it. A daily to do list with time slots is one of the best ways to combat procrastination. Brain dump a list of things you need to do and then prioritize them. Atfer that apply the THREE D’s!

DELEGATE
Break the task down and see if you can get help with the part that is hanging you up! Often when you start looking at a task the sticky point is that you don’t know what to do. Get help or make it someone else’s job.

DUMP IT
Is the task still WORTHY? If not move on to what is! That doesn’t mean, is the task too hard…but is it important?

DO IT
Like the NIKE ad. Just Do It. Get started. Take a baby step. Look at a piece of if and begin. Try setting a timer and work 10 minutes. Anything is better than nothing and you will discover more about the task when you start.